When Highway 24 was built more than 40 years ago, some of the intersections were missing acceleration lanes for drivers trying to merge from side streets.
City Traffic Engineering began correcting that situation by opening a new 270-foot eastbound acceleration lane at 31st Street and Highway 24 last week.
Other such lanes are also planned, probably next year, at 26th (eastbound and westbound) and 21st streets (eastbound), according to city and Pikes Peak Rural
Transportation Authority (RTA) plans. There already is a westbound acceleration lane at 21st.
Such lanes “provide safer movement, so motorists can accelerate to a certain speed,” said Scott Logan, head of City Traffic Engineering.
The lane at 31st completes the $150,000 project there this year, which also included realignments of the intersection's north and south traffic lanes, stoplight timing
changes and new sidewalks.
The work is separate from the state's long-range Highway 24 plans that have been under discussion for the past three years.